to take on (a particular character, quality, mode of life, etc.); adopt:

He assumed the style of an aggressive go-getter.

5.

to take on; be invested or endowed with:

The situation assumed a threatening character.

6.

to pretend to have or be; feign:

to assume a humble manner.

7.

to appropriate or arrogate; seize; usurp:

to assume a right to oneself; to assume control.

8.

to take upon oneself (the debts or obligations of another).

9.

Archaic. to take into relation or association; adopt.

verb (used without object), assumed, assuming.

10.

to take something for granted; presume.

Origin

1400-50;late Middle English (< Anglo-Frenchassumer) < Latinassūmere to take to, adopt, equivalent to as-as- + sūmere to take up; see consume

Related forms

assumer, noun

overassume, verb (used with object), overassumed, overassuming.

preassume, verb (used with object), preassumed, preassuming.

reassume, verb (used with object), reassumed, reassuming.

Synonym Study

6.assume,Pretend,affect,feign imply an attempt to create a false appearance. To assume is to take on or put on a specific outward appearance, often (but not always) with intent to deceive: to assume an air of indifference.To pretend is to create an imaginary characteristic or to play a part: to pretend sorrow.To affect is to make a consciously artificial show of having qualities that one thinks would look well and impress others: to affect shyness.To feign implies using ingenuity in pretense, and some degree of imitation of appearance or characteristics: to feign surprise.

Meaning "to suppose, to take for granted as the basis of argument" is first recorded 1590s; that of "to take or put on (an appearance, etc.)" is from c.1600. Related: Assumed; assuming. Early past participle was assumpt. In rhetorical usage, assume expresses what the assumer postulates, often as a confessed hypothesis; presume expresses what the presumer really believes.